The present invention relates to a flexible hose coupling which provides a swiveling connection for the hose and especially to a hose coupling which merely requires the hose end to be slipped into the coupling to form a swiveling hose coupling.
In the past, numerous fittings and couplings have been provided for interconnecting hoses or tubes to each other or to pipe or hose fittings. Flexible hose, such as garden hose and irrigation hose, which carry water under pressure require a tight seal. This has been accomplished through the use of washers, adhesives, packings, and sealing compounds, as well as pressure and clamp couplings. Typically, a flexible rubber or plastic hose is connected to a metal coupling using various clamping techniques. Replacement couplings are frequently attached by sliding the hose over a rigid ribbed insert sized for the inside diameter of the hose and a threaded clamp clamped onto the outside of the hose to clamp the hose onto the rigid insert. Other techniques allow for the end of the hose to be slipped between a pair of coaxial cylindrical members which will provide an annular insert between concentric metal cylinders for inserting the flexible hose and then clamping the outer cylinder to clamp cylinder onto the hose.
In addition to the conventional commercial couplings and attachments for attaching a flexible hose to either a hose end or to another piece of hose or to a threaded or other connector, a variety of U.S. patents have claimed various clamping techniques. A prior art coupling device can be seen in the Schmitt U.S. Pat. No. 3,679,239, for a compression coupling for plastic pipe which allows the pipe end to be slid into the coupling for locking the pipe in the coupling, and in the Elek U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,982 for a plastic fitting assembly for inserting each end of a plastic pipe into an adapter insert which is barbed and then using a threaded compression nut for compressing the pipe thereunto. In the Byrne et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,857, a method of joining a plastic pipe includes a cylindrical pipe insert having a separate outer sleeve member so that the pipe can be slid between the sleeves and heat fused. In the Shippey et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,906, means are provided for coupling and sealing membrane carrying tube sections using a barbed insert in an outer sleeve. In the Weatherhead U.S. Pat. No. 3,433,505, a hose fitting for connecting hoses of different sizes provides for inserts and outer sleeves which are clamped onto the flexible hose slid onto the inserts. The Raybould U.S. Pat. No. 2,460,653, provides a hose end in which a hose can be inserted over an insert having an annular ledge on one end and a threaded compression nut that slides over the hose to clamp a compression member onto the hose. The Ridenour U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,596, is a tubular joint assembly having an annular ledge insert which is slid into a tube and has a sleeve that fits over the tube and over the insert. The Emmitt U.S. Pat. No. 609,738, is for a pipe coupling in which the ends of the pipe are slipped between a threaded insert and a clamping outer sleeve. The Osmun U.S. Pat. No. 2,202,261, has a barbed insert for forming a safety joint. The Raybould U.S. Pat. No. 2,464,416, shows a hose end coupling which slides the hose on an insert having a slight taper portion on one end and having a threaded clamping nut for clamping onto the hose. The Patterson and Gregory U.S. Pat. No. 825,480, is for a nozzle coupling in which a hose is slipped over a barbed pipe insert and has a threaded pressure coupling on the outside for compressing the pipe onto the barbed insert. The Miller U.S. Pat. No. 960,667, is for a pipe coupling in which a lead pipe is attached to a raw iron pipe. The Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,688, is for a plumbing hook-up kit in which a pipe is slid over a barbed insert and clamped thereon.
The present invention provides for a flexible hose coupling which has been simplified such that a flexible hose can be slid over an axially floating tapered and barbed hollow insert and at the same time into a tapered barbed cylinder so that the flexible hose is enlarged as it slides onto the tapered insert but may still be swiveled with the insert but provides a water-tight seal when internal hydraulic pressure is applied to the coupling joint or by pulling on the hose once it has been inserted onto the tapered insert and inside the tapered cylinder.